Every week I keep thinking he will be back to the money guy from last yar. Maybe this week. I get injuries but I also think he's just not in tune with RW. Some of their passes have been near-misses. This is the week he converts a few crucial 3rd and 7s.

Baldwin's injuries are a big reason for his big drop in production, but there are more factors.

- Emphasis on run game - Little time to work with Wilson due to injuries

But the biggest thing that's different this year than last for Baldwin is a healthy Rice and improved Tate. Last year Baldwin was getting 10-15 targets a game cause Rice was out, and Tate was playing like crap. This year Rice has been healthy and productive, and Tate's coming on like gangbusters.

Next year, when RW has a whole training camp as the starter with these guys, I think we'll see some great chemistry on the field. I think the 1/3 play time this training camp, along with injuries, really hurt them this year.

Sgt. Largent wrote:Baldwin's injuries are a big reason for his big drop in production, but there are more factors.

- Emphasis on run game - Little time to work with Wilson due to injuries

But the biggest thing that's different this year than last for Baldwin is a healthy Rice and improved Tate. Last year Baldwin was getting 10-15 targets a game cause Rice was out, and Tate was playing like crap. This year Rice has been healthy and productive, and Tate's coming on like gangbusters.

very good point, rice was out most of last year...didn't think about that... plus isn't wilson spreading the ball around more this year, didn't he hit like 11 different recievers in miami... i don't think anyones going to have one of those 10+ catches ,150 yard games...

HawkFan72 wrote:Next year, when RW has a whole training camp as the starter with these guys, I think we'll see some great chemistry on the field. I think the 1/3 play time this training camp, along with injuries, really hurt them this year.

The whole "Next year we'll be great" rag just reeks of desperate fans of failing teams....true.

hawker84 wrote:i always thought he would turn out to be one of those stokely, welker types, not blazing speed, but always open on 3rd downs.. doesn't look like he's getting the seperation he was getting last year.

Yup. Was sure last year (and incredibly relieved), that we'd found our replacement for Bobby Engram.

Man, I sure hope that wasn't wrong.

This is just a sophomore slump. This is just a sophomore slump. This is just a sophomore slump. This is just a sophomore slump.(He says while rocking back 'n' forth)

Largent80 wrote:He dropped a crucial pass that RW put right on his hands last Sunday.

Do you mean the incomplete pass that ended RW's streak of 16 completions? That was a difficult pass and I think Wilson was a bit too pumped and overthrew that ball. Had RW gone to his next progression with Rice crossing underneath and clearing the backers into the right flat he'd gotten a sure completion and a likely first down. The drive would have continued and a record fallen.Rice was wide open but by then the ball was thrown to Baldwin. RW had plenty of time but chose the difficult pass IMO.

With Rice and Tate healthy and playing well, you would expect to see Baldwin's impact on 3rd downs. Engram just caught 1st down conversions on 3rd downs when the top 2 WRs were healthy, but he was amazing at it. I would hope to see the same thing out of Baldwin; let Tate and Rice get theirs, and let Doug tear up the nickle CB on 3rd downs, and the occasional 1st down catch when we run 3 wides to confuse the defense and the nickle guy loses focus.

The other thing is that we are actually running Miller out in routes more often, and he gets open. Russ also is actually capable of seeing the TE out in routes, unlike TJack. Miller is going to get some of Baldwin's 3rd down catchs.

The bright side is, if Baldwin can gain most of his form back from last year, Miller can get back to his Raiders form, and Rice and Tate just stay the same, we have a pretty decent WR corps that is a strength and not a weakness. Would free up a draft spot to get a guy for the OL, OLB, 3 Tech DT, or another good Nickle CB or Safety.

Hawks46 wrote:With Rice and Tate healthy and playing well, you would expect to see Baldwin's impact on 3rd downs. Engram just caught 1st down conversions on 3rd downs when the top 2 WRs were healthy, but he was amazing at it. I would hope to see the same thing out of Baldwin; let Tate and Rice get theirs, and let Doug tear up the nickle CB on 3rd downs, and the occasional 1st down catch when we run 3 wides to confuse the defense and the nickle guy loses focus.

The other thing is that we are actually running Miller out in routes more often, and he gets open. Russ also is actually capable of seeing the TE out in routes, unlike TJack. Miller is going to get some of Baldwin's 3rd down catchs.

The bright side is, if Baldwin can gain most of his form back from last year, Miller can get back to his Raiders form, and Rice and Tate just stay the same, we have a pretty decent WR corps that is a strength and not a weakness. Would free up a draft spot to get a guy for the OL, OLB, 3 Tech DT, or another good Nickle CB or Safety.

Good post. I agree with everything EXCEPT I still think we need a stud WR.

What we need is receivers that don't drop passes...we also need to adjust our effin offense... Clearly Miami had the # for strong power backs running up the middle but they struggled in Every package with turbin. (slight more speed different looks more runs to the outsides.)..Just my thoughts I could be wrong....but i'm not..

I would watch the game again, but I can't bring myself to watching the sprinklers humiliate me.again

Sgt. Largent wrote:Baldwin's injuries are a big reason for his big drop in production, but there are more factors.

- Emphasis on run game - Little time to work with Wilson due to injuries

But the biggest thing that's different this year than last for Baldwin is a healthy Rice and improved Tate. Last year Baldwin was getting 10-15 targets a game cause Rice was out, and Tate was playing like crap. This year Rice has been healthy and productive, and Tate's coming on like gangbusters.

!!^This^!!,,, he HAD to carry the load, because who else did Jackson have??This Year, he's just one of many targets.I believe he'll prove his worth next Season when he and Wilson have some time to get all the bugs worked out.

I see elements of truth in both sides of the arguement from a production perspective. Last year we had no consistent treat at WR other than Baldwin. BMW was banged up, and his role in our offense has always been a limited one. Tate was very unreliable with anything but jump balls, and Rice was banged up for most of the season. When it came WRs we had no 'go to' guys other than Baldwin. Fast forward to this season and we have a healthy Sidney Rice, Tate in a breakout season and Zach Miller actually free to run routes occasionally...in an offense that really doesn't feature WRs.

If one adds-in Baldwins slow start because of injuries and the fact that he has been replacing older injuries with new ones as they heal, coming close to what he accomplished last season becomes extremely difficult.

I think he'll make a comeback of sorts next season -injuries permitting. One thing for sure is he won't have the dark horse status to enjoy anymore. He will be competing for looks from RW though and should normally be the second or third read for most plays.

Another problem with Baldwin is that we have no true outside receiver opposite Rice, and two slot receivers in Baldwin and Tate.

Baldwin's a good story, undrafted, great first year, etc.........but the fact is once we upgrade the other outside receiver position next year (and we better Pete!), there will be even less balls for Baldwin cause he's going to be sharing time with Tate in the slot, or having an even more reduced roll ala Obamanu if Tate continues to grow and produce.

Largent80 wrote:He dropped a crucial pass that RW put right on his hands last Sunday.

Do you mean the incomplete pass that ended RW's streak of 16 completions? That was a difficult pass and I think Wilson was a bit too pumped and overthrew that ball. Had RW gone to his next progression with Rice crossing underneath and clearing the backers into the right flat he'd gotten a sure completion and a likely first down. The drive would have continued and a record fallen.Rice was wide open but by then the ball was thrown to Baldwin. RW had plenty of time but chose the difficult pass IMO.

I disagree with the "overthrew the ball" bit. The ball wasn't overthrown. It was thrown in a spot where he could get it. He got his hands on it. It's just the difficulty of the catch was like a 8-9 on a scale of 10. Alot of great WR would have failed to make that over the shoulder catch. It would have been a spectacular play if he could have hauled it in. Too bad I was hoping to see him break the Seahawks record.

I have never seen the kind of catches Tate is capable of in a Seahawk's uniform. Baldwin also seemed to perform better with a chip on his shoulder. Honestly, I think the Hawks as a whole are at a similar point like they were last year. They seemed to put a big resounding focus on the run and make it about team identity. I think with Wilson in as QB its becoming a similar question about identity